Women's Super League: West Ham United 1-9 Arsenal
- Published
Roord scores a hat-trick as Arsenal thrash West Ham 9-1
Jill Roord scored her second hat-trick in a row as Arsenal dismantled 10-player West Ham in front of 734 fans at Chigwell Construction Stadium.
The Women's Super League match was selected as a test event for the reintroduction of crowds in football.
After a close first half hour the game turned when Gilly Flaherty was sent off for the hosts after falling 2-1 behind.
Arsenal then dominated, scoring twice more before half-time before a ruthless second-half display in front of goal.
Vivianne Miedema scored a brace, with Kim Little, Beth Mead, Leah Williamson and Caitlin Foord also finding the net.
Victory sees Arsenal move to the top of the table - with the rest of the weekend's games on Sunday - having scored 15 goals in their opening two league matches.
For West Ham, meanwhile, the reaction to Flaherty's second yellow card - given for dissent - left a lot to be desired as the visitors looked like scoring with every attack.
Sending off leads to one-sided spectacle
The predominantly West Ham-supporting crowd had little to cheer but did at least have one goal to celebrate
Prior to Hammers captain Flaherty's dismissal the hosts were well in the game, equalising through Kenza Dali's half-volley from outside the box after Netherlands midfielder Roord had side-footed Arsenal ahead.
But, after Miedema found the roof of the net to make it 2-1 and West Ham went down to 10 players, the first elite English league game to be held with fans since March was then over as a contest.
Scotland midfielder Little finished a passing move before England striker Mead bent home to make it 4-1 at the interval and, while Roord's second was offside, the goal was given to open the second-half floodgates.
In fact, she had secured the matchball and been substituted before the hour mark, finding the bottom corner from Miedema's pass for her third.
Arsenal scored just twice in the final 35 minutes as they eased up, though their opponents could do nothing going forward despite Rachel Daly making her first start after joining on loan earlier this month.